Memories and photos of the RS500s from the '80s

I would love to see some personal photos and memories of spectators and those involved with the Sierra Cosworth RS500s that raced in the various championships around the world during the 80s early 90s

Really look forward to some great replies

edited to say - most of the pics I have are mainly from websites I have come across over the years, and dont tend to be credited to anyone. If the person who actually took the pic would like some credit for any I show please let me know, or if preferred I will remove at request.

First memory that comes to mind is wondering where did some of those running them got the ridiculous amounts of money needed. Second is what cars other than the "evo" RS500 and all Nissan Skylines were banned from at least one branch of the sport (rallying in the case of the RS500) for meeting the letter of homologation requirements but not the spirit?

The RS500 was never homologated for rallying - Group A rally rules at the time did not allow evolutions, so 5000 identical cars had to be built, not 500 for Group A circuit racing.

"Evolution" was introduced into the new Appendix J (Gps N/A/B) by the FIA at a very early date (like about one year?) after it commenced on 1.1.82. This was under pressure from manufacturers. We private entrants who had just built cars to the new regs were, to put it mildly, "angry" at this.

It is a myth that keeps on turning up that there has ever been any different Appendix J for racing and rallying (most recently the Vauxhall Droopsnoot forum is guilty of perpetuating it). Probably the use of "GP1" for the BSCC or BTCC racing series (which was not FIA Gp1 and was even informally known as "Gp One and a Half" and had no connection with rallying Gp1, even in the UK) helps this along. The RS500 was homologated, period. It was then not permitted by the FIA to be used in International rallying, where it is unlikely to have made any noticeable impact on the majority (ie. non-tarmac) of events anyway...

"Evolution" was introduced into the new Appendix J (Gps N/A/B) by the FIA at a very early date (like about one year?) after it commenced on 1.1.82. This was under pressure from manufacturers. We private entrants who had just built cars to the new regs were, to put it mildly, "angry" at this.

It is a myth that keeps on turning up that there has ever been any different Appendix J for racing and rallying (most recently the Vauxhall Droopsnoot forum is guilty of perpetuating it). Probably the use of "GP1" for the BSCC or BTCC racing series (which was not FIA Gp1 and was even informally known as "Gp One and a Half" and had no connection with rallying Gp1, even in the UK) helps this along. The RS500 was homologated, period. It was then not permitted by the FIA to be used in International rallying, where it is unlikely to have made any noticeable impact on the majority (ie. non-tarmac) of events anyway...

here is a copy of the homologation document for the RS500 and its clearly stamped "not valid for rally"

Rouse was pretty much dominant until Robb Gravett set up Trakstar for 1989 using the imported Johnson cars.

I remember Johnson's one-off outing at Silverstone for the 88 TT, against strong Eggenberger and Rouse opposition, where he put his car on pole and proceeded to dominate the early stages of the race until a water pump failure or something like that cost them a lot of time in the pits...

I think its on the Duke DVD about the Sierra Cosworth that Tim Harvey said the RS500's were clocked at a higher speed through the speed trap at one years Birmingham Superprix than the F3000 cars were!

There was a story told, I think in the race programme for the '88 TT at Silverstone, that during testing a week or so before the race, one of the F3000 teams found themselves on the circuit at the same time as either Rouse or one of the Eggenberger/Texaco cars. Supposedly, the F3000 driver (Roberto Moreno's name comes to mind) came up behind the Sierra coming onto the Hangar Straight, and expected to just blast past it- instead he was surprised to see the Sierra just pulled away from him on the straight and he had to wait until it braked for Stowe...

One must remember that these fantastic cars, at the height of their development, were making north of 550bhp, and were geared for around 180mph on the Hangar straight!
They must have been one hell of a hand-full. Dig out footage of them being raced around Birmingham - they were just awesome to watch.

The Aussies ran them a year longer than the UK so developed them even further. The last of the DJR cars were supposed to have been the best 500s ever raced, he had been running them since the advent of the 3dr in 1986 right through until 1992 and his first 500 was actually a 3dr updated to 500 spec as soon as the 500 become homologated on 1st August 87

I was told a story when I was over there for the Adelaide GP that a local racer Andrew Medieke was clocked at just over 200mph on one occasion at Mount Panorama.

the point and shoot pics are exactly the ones I wanted to see, as they often show hidden gems, like on yours the special eggenberger cast magnesium rear arms that a lot of other teams could not afford to use, and the rear wheels that got these actual cars thrown out of the points at Bathurst.

Ive seen all the ones from google and the magazines etc, but the ones dug out from peoples attics, and the stories behind them are much better.

thanks for posting it.

Apologies for my poor pic of the #6 Sierra of Soper & Dieudonne, taken late on race evening before the 1987 Bathurst 1000. This car led to the finish, then eventually disqualified.

Here's a pretty poor photo of Gravett chasing Rouse at Silverstone during the International Trophy meeting.

In the days when Stowe corner was for heroes...

Someone I sat next to in the stands that day was enthusing about this being a 'golden era of touring car racing'. I didn't really agree at the time, I confess I preferred the variety of Rovers Vs BMWs Vs Holdens Vs Volvos of a few seasons earlier. By 1989 it seemed a bit like a one-make series for Cossies, but looking back, how much better that was than the front-drive 2 litre bumpercars of a later generation (despite the wide variety of manufacturers then involved) . As the saying goes, you never appreciate something until it's no longer there. The older I get the more fondly I recall RS500s!

Here's another , rather better shot of a Trackstar RS500, Smithy side by side with the legend that is Dave Brodie at Silverstone for the British GP encounter.

I remember Johnson's one-off outing at Silverstone for the 88 TT, against strong Eggenberger and Rouse opposition, where he put his car on pole and proceeded to dominate the early stages of the race until a water pump failure or something like that cost them a lot of time in the pits...

I remember that day well. I think my Dad and I went to the race specifically because Johnson was there. It was a big deal at the time. A friend of mine who was scrutineering that say said he and the other officials were totally impressed with the professional way Johnson's team operated.

Tom Walkinshaw was running a Commodore that day in what must have been one of his last events as a driver.

I remember that day well. I think my Dad and I went to the race specifically because Johnson was there. It was a big deal at the time. A friend of mine who was scrutineering that say said he and the other officials were totally impressed with the professional way Johnson's team operated.

Tom Walkinshaw was running a Commodore that day in what must have been one of his last events as a driver.

Someone I sat next to in the stands that day was enthusing about this being a 'golden era of touring car racing'. I didn't really agree at the time, I confess I preferred the variety of Rovers Vs BMWs Vs Holdens Vs Volvos of a few seasons earlier. By 1989 it seemed a bit like a one-make series for Cossies, but looking back, how much better that was than the front-drive 2 litre bumpercars of a later generation (despite the wide variety of manufacturers then involved) . As the saying goes, you never appreciate something until it's no longer there. The older I get the more fondly I recall RS500s!

When i was a young 'un i felt the same. I was a little too young to appreciate the early Group A era (I was born in '78), so while i had a little knowledge of the SD1 vs 635csi vs 240 Turbo etc. battles, I kind of grew up with RS500's dominating BTCC racing. It was never boring, but just felt like more of the same everytime race highlights were shown on the BBC's Grandstand. Unless it was Andy Rouse vs Steve Soper though... It isnt on Youtube but somewhere at home i have a copy of highlights of the '88 (i think) race on the Brands Hatch GP track, where Rouse and Soper had a no holds barred battle in their RS500's, side by side lap after lap, overtaking every few corners. The racing was clean too (For the BTCC at least!).

Unless the track was twisty, the atmo BMW M3's never really got a look in (350bhp was about the limit of development for the 2.3 4cyl engine i've read) so it seemed at the time like the racing needed more variety. But like you Simon, I look back on that era now with a lot of good memories, compared to the British series of today!

Unless the track was twisty, the atmo BMW M3's never really got a look in (350bhp was about the limit of development for the 2.3 4cyl engine i've read) so it seemed at the time like the racing needed more variety. But like you Simon, I look back on that era now with a lot of good memories, compared to the British series of today!

There was of course an era that was actually even less diverse in manufacturer variety - the mid 60s - British saloon car championship fields were literally wall to wall Ford. Galaxeys then Falcons and Mustangs in the big class. Lotus Cortinas , Anglias and, later, Escorts below that with only the occasional 911 or something to get amongst them leaving only Mini's and Imps in the smallest classes to challenge Ford for a series victory...and often they had a separate race of their own.

This is Thruxton , Easter Monday 1968

Wouldn't you just love to have watched this race though? Even if you weren't a Ford fanatic!

When i was a young 'un i felt the same. I was a little too young to appreciate the early Group A era (I was born in '78), so while i had a little knowledge of the SD1 vs 635csi vs 240 Turbo etc. battles, I kind of grew up with RS500's dominating BTCC racing. It was never boring, but just felt like more of the same everytime race highlights were shown on the BBC's Grandstand. Unless it was Andy Rouse vs Steve Soper though...

I cut my teeth on the Rover v BMW v Volvo period (the first race meeting I ever went to was the Donington ETC & BTCC double-header in '85) and I see what you mean about variety- once the RS500 'era' (if you can call a period of 4 years or so an 'era') was in full flight it was very much one class of RS500s, one of M3s, one of Golf GTis and Astras and one of Corollas, with a few interlopers in each. In many ways though, it was still much better than the show we've got today with driving standards that wouldn't look out of place at a Saturday night banger meeting at Wimbledon, and all of the faffing around with success ballast, penalty weight and reversed grids that we get now...

It isnt on Youtube but somewhere at home i have a copy of highlights of the '88 (i think) race on the Brands Hatch GP track, where Rouse and Soper had a no holds barred battle in their RS500's, side by side lap after lap, overtaking every few corners. The racing was clean too (For the BTCC at least!).

Yes, Brands GP in 1988- fairly late seson, I think it might have been at the Group C sportscar meeting (BTCC was certainly on the programme for that in '88 & '89). There's a bit of it in this compilation of Rouse v Soper action from the BBC coverage- shows Thruxton, Brands and Donington:

As I recall, the Johnson cars were based at the Alan Docking workshops for the period of the TT and were never allowed to be unattended by DJ team members. Docking staff couldn't even get a look under the bonnet. Access was definitely not allowed to other types.

This gave rise to many conspiracy theories that were about at the time regarding fuel and head sealing methods contrary to the regulations. Logic being that their exceptional superior power had to come from somewhere.

Add to this that when RG bought the cars after the event to run in BTCC the following season the engines were sealed by the Australian engine builders and the engines had to go back and forth in order to be serviced.

I believe the reason for the pace of the DJR cars at the TT was eventually revealed and it was they had managed to crack the code of the Bosch ecu system that most of the 500s ran, and had improved the maps before other teams managed to do the same.

I am hoping that some of the ex drivers use the site, and might put up some comments about this era of their careers.

I have it on good authority that when the cars reach the 25 year milestone, which is not far off, that a group of the ex racers and their cars plan to compete again in a historic series.

A bunch of them came together a couple of years ago at the RS owners club national day for a few gentle parade laps , and apparently it got quite competitive.

Heres hoping it gets sorted.

As I recall, the Johnson cars were based at the Alan Docking workshops for the period of the TT and were never allowed to be unattended by DJ team members. Docking staff couldn't even get a look under the bonnet. Access was definitely not allowed to other types.

This gave rise to many conspiracy theories that were about at the time regarding fuel and head sealing methods contrary to the regulations. Logic being that their exceptional superior power had to come from somewhere.

Add to this that when RG bought the cars after the event to run in BTCC the following season the engines were sealed by the Australian engine builders and the engines had to go back and forth in order to be serviced.

another pitlane shot- Karl Jones' Asquith-run Duckhams car, and one of the lesser-known cars- the CC Motorsport example of Bob Sands, which only appeared in a few early 1988 season rounds: http://www.flickr.co...57606670113432/

Here are some photos made by me in 1988 at my yearly pilgrimage to Norisring (only about 15 Miles away).You can see Klaus Ludwigs Grab entered Speedware Ford and the Ringshausen cars of Soper (Texaco) and Manuel Reuter (LUI). I actually have no idea, who did drive the no. 26 car in the third photo - I might have to look for old programmes.

Just looking at my photos again - is there a reason, why one of the Ringshaúsen cars does have its tailpipe on the right ?
The other cars have it on the left.
At that time, DTM cars were already required to use mufflers I have to add - so no flame spitting side exhaust over here any more, unfortunately...

One thing I have noticed, is that there are always certain cars which are quite difficult to find pics of- it's usually easy to find shots of the likes of Rouse, Gravett, Johnson, or the Eggenberger Texaco cars on the web, but some of the lower-profile midfield entries, or cars that didn't do full seasons are much more difficult- I'm thinking of cars like Graham Hathaway's yellow car in Phil's pic a few posts back, or the Terry Drury Racing trio of Dave Pinkney, Mike O'Brien and Robin Donovan in 1989.

As I've mentioned Dave Pinkney, here's a shot of his RS500 from his website- with the distinctive pink/white/blue colourscheme, it was a difficult car to miss- and yet I don't think I ever got a pic of it, (though I only got to one BTCC round that year) http://www.pinkd.co....sierraRS500.jpg

One of the particularly rare BTCC RS500s- F3000 team Crypton Engineering fielded a car for Italian F3/F3000 driver Amato Ferrari (better known these days for his successful Ferrari FIA GT team AF Engineering) in a couple of BTCC rounds in 1990- the races at the Brands F3000 meeting and Birmingham.

These are the only pics I ever took of it, and I don't recall seeing too many others in print, let alone on the web:

Anyone know the story behind this one? Presumably the fact that it appeared at the rounds supporting F3000 races might be significant...

Tha Amato car is one I had read about, but yours are the first pics I have ever seen of it and Ive done some trawling over the years to find RS500 race pics on the net - totally agree about lack of pics of the mid field cars

These cars still have to exist in some collections somewhere, hopefully they start re appearing if the historic series comes about for the RS500s

Here are some photos made by me in 1988 at my yearly pilgrimage to Norisring (only about 15 Miles away).You can see Klaus Ludwigs Grab entered Speedware Ford and the Ringshausen cars of Soper (Texaco) and Manuel Reuter (LUI). I actually have no idea, who did drive the no. 26 car in the third photo - I might have to look for old programmes.

I think this is Austrian Herbert Drexler in a second Wolf car. I don't have any notes regarding Drexler racing at Norisring, so likely a non qualifier - does anybody have qualifying results for the race? Drexler did race in the Salzburgring debacle a little later in the season, and in Wolf group N saloon Sierras in subsequent years.

Nice to see some German Sierras. The 10-tenths thread mentioned earlier has a bunch of Japanese Sierra pictures well worth checking out.

One thing I have noticed, is that there are always certain cars which are quite difficult to find pics of- it's usually easy to find shots of the likes of Rouse, Gravett, Johnson, or the Eggenberger Texaco cars on the web, but some of the lower-profile midfield entries, or cars that didn't do full seasons are much more difficult- I'm thinking of cars like Graham Hathaway's yellow car in Phil's pic a few posts back, or the Terry Drury Racing trio of Dave Pinkney, Mike O'Brien and Robin Donovan in 1989.

As I've mentioned Dave Pinkney, here's a shot of his RS500 from his website- with the distinctive pink/white/blue colourscheme, it was a difficult car to miss- and yet I don't think I ever got a pic of it, (though I only got to one BTCC round that year) http://www.pinkd.co....sierraRS500.jpg

One of the particularly rare BTCC RS500s- F3000 team Crypton Engineering fielded a car for Italian F3/F3000 driver Amato Ferrari (better known these days for his successful Ferrari FIA GT team AF Engineering) in a couple of BTCC rounds in 1990- the races at the Brands F3000 meeting and Birmingham.

These are the only pics I ever took of it, and I don't recall seeing too many others in print, let alone on the web:

Anyone know the story behind this one? Presumably the fact that it appeared at the rounds supporting F3000 races might be significant...

I think Amato Ferrari raced in the 1990 British F3000 series and used the RS500 for some additional practice at unfamiliar circuits. The car by the way was an Eggenberger built car, but weather it was brand new by 1990 or an older car sold on I don't know. Ferrari also raced this car for a few rounds of the 1991 Italian CIVT series. Nice to see pictures of this car.

Swiss Luigi Bello also raced an Eggenberger built RS500 - seen a picture of this car during the Monza opening round of the 1989 CIVT.

I think Amato Ferrari raced in the 1990 British F3000 series and used the RS500 for some additional practice at unfamiliar circuits. The car by the way was an Eggenberger built car, but weather it was brand new by 1990 or an older car sold on I don't know. Ferrari also raced this car for a few rounds of the 1991 Italian CIVT series. Nice to see pictures of this car.

Swiss Luigi Bello also raced an Eggenberger built RS500 - seen a picture of this car during the Monza opening round of the 1989 CIVT.

Jesper

Thanks Jesper- I know we'd discussed the Crypton car over on 'Tenths- I'd forgotten about it being an Eggenberger car though. Looking at the race pic I think it might have a couple of those white Eggenberger stickers (similar to the ones seen on the front spoiler of the Texaco cars) on the rear bumper.

The Bello car: http://img210.images.../luigibello.jpg (found it on an Italian forum through Google, but the 'www.monzasport.it' watermark rings a bell- think there are quite a lot of ETCC and CIVT pics on that site

Just looking at my photos again - is there a reason, why one of the Ringshaúsen cars does have its tailpipe on the right ?The other cars have it on the left. At that time, DTM cars were already required to use mufflers I have to add - so no flame spitting side exhaust over here any more, unfortunately...

The road cars pipe exited from the left rear as the fuel tank was on the right, I guess with that no longer in place the builders of the race cars had the option of running the exhausteither side